Ramblings from Pennsylvania

I'll preface what I'm going to say by atating that I live in the thick of "swing" country here in PA. NBC national news did a piece tonight on Montgomery County here and how important it is to this election (moderately republican, went narrowly for Gore in 2000). They interviewed folks at a small restaurant which is about 100 yards from my old home.

I've spoken to everyone I know here about this election. Most of the people I speak with are conservatives or moderates. I'm running into the same thing over and over. A lot of people are really uncomfortable with the Bush agenda and seem inclined to support someone else. The problem is virtually none of these swayable moderates and conservatives are at all comfortable with Kerry. The wishy-washy, waffling, indecisive label has stuck. People want to know what he's passionate about, what he's firm and resolute on. It's awful hard to convince them that Kerry is much more than anybody but Bush. I don't want to say a whole lot more about this right now as it's not the time to rehash this. I just want to stress that the flip-flop label, whether deserved or not, is a real problem. The media has been complicit in permitting this label to stick, but the Repubs were way out in front of us on this issue. Of course all politicians can be cast in this light, including Bush. They beat us to it and it's really hurting Kerry.

Second thing I'm finding is that right wing radio is incredibly influential. We are inundated with it here (Rush, Hannity, Savage, Ingraham, Medved, Prager, Glen Beck). I can't get Air America or any liberal talk radio in this market (Philadelphia). Anyway, virtually every person I discuss with or debate on this election spouts right wing radio talking points ad nauseum. It's like they are programmed.....it's really hard to get them off of these talking points. It is so clear that people are being influenced by talk radio. I don't know that it moves many Dems into the Republican camp, but I think it can transform semi-conservative, thoughtful people into brainwashed nitwits. It can bring people from the swayable category into the hopeless category. What an incredible advantage the Repubs have on us over the airwaves.

It's his chance, his only chance to make his case. If he does not score well, it's all over.

Thanks for the report from PA.

On WHAT AM (1340) from 12 noon to 3, Al Franken, and from 3 to 6, Randi Rhodes..
It's been on for a couple of months now.

I hadn't realized that, I guess I've been to busy to look for it recently.

The signal isn't strong enough to get here while listening comfortably. Fortunately, I get Air America on my Sirius satellite radio.

I have good news: in my town, which is in one of the more conservative parts of the county, I ran across 3 Kerry/Edwards signs and 2 Bush/Cheney signs.

I think many of the people mentioned in the OP should be more comfortable with Kerry after the debates.

And the difference is night and day. I feel so hopeful and positive while in Philly and once I'm back home in the burbs, it dawns on me that there are actually living breathing people that support Bush.

On the upside, I have seen a fair number of Kerry/Edwards stickers and yard signs. I've been to a few Kerry meet ups and they were all well attended. But the best news is an article I read in the Intelligencer about new voter registration in Bucks and Montgomery Counties.

The Dems are ahead, and by a pretty significant amount. I can't remember the exact numbers, but I'll see if I can find it on line.

most of the new voters in both Counties are Dems..

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/113-09242004-371...

I think we're going to see a LOT of disgusted Republicans stay home on Election Day. The last time that happened was in 1974, after Nixon resigned - and the Dems took 24 new seats!

People around here are getting REALLY twisted coverage of this election. But somehow the word is managing to get out. We have more people volunteering for the Kerry campaign every day. People are really starting to see through this bullsh*t. Keep working and don't get discouraged. Kerry is really starting to get his message out there now.

His speech at Univ. of Penn. was televised yesterday morning. Someone here at DU had a thread about it.

When that's all they hear, what else do you expect?

I remember reading somewhere (doggone it, didn't save it) where people were polled in Tennessee or some such place in the South that betrayed Gore in 2000. Among the questions, besides disappointment in bush, which many of them expressed, there was a prevailing complaint that they felt Al Gore gave up on them, for not campaigning in that area sufficiently - somebody even said it felt as though he didn't fight for them. And for better or worse, they wanted to feel as though they were fought for. KERRY NEEDS-NEEDS-NEEDS to do that!!!!

Furthermore, when the local Dem headquarters opened a couple of weeks ago in Santa Monica, I talked to many people who were true believers but were SO incredibly upset that Kerry wasn't fighting hard, and that he'd let the swifties get a leg up on him. One woman even told me that she emailed the DNC and declared - "you're not getting another dime from me until Kerry starts fighting harder!"

That anguish is EVERYWHERE.

All we can do is... all we can do.

Even so, eyes on the prize, guys!

BTW - Welcome to DU!

I'm in Berks County now; just outside of Wyomissing. I used to live in the thick of Bush Country, PA...Harleysville, Pennsylvania. Where are you at?

I've noticed there are a TON of Bush signs down in H'Ville, but up here in an even more redneck-redstate-conservative area, I'm seeing Kerry signs cropping up all over.

Write letters into the Reporter. I find it very therapeutic to piss off the right-wingers who write in all the time. Counter the waffling crap by pointing out that BUSH is the real flip-flopper (see the Center for American Progress' website for tons and tons and tons of Bush flippering all over the place). Write about Kerry's passion to the middle class and helping the little guy. Also write about Kerry's patriotism - something I think is Kerry's passion. I agree the labels have stuck, but it's our job to help change minds as well as Kerry's.

Did you go to the rally today at UPenn? I was there and it was PACKED!

I know Harleysville well. It's likely that I'll be doing some volunteer work here for Kerry in the next 6 weeks. I'm certainly not terribly worried about the outcome in PA. I still think Kerry will win narrowly. There is a key congressional seat (Jim Greenwood's) that is to be decided in Bucks. The Repub (Mike Fitzpatrick) is going to win big and has a lot of enthusiastic support here. I expect the Repubs to be out in force unfortunately.

In New Hope-Solebury (Bucks County) there is a surprising number of Kerry/Edwards lawn signs!

Our local paper just reported that Greenwood (R) threw his support to Fitzpatrick (R). Greenwood was moderate for a Repug., and popular. I've seen "Ginny" (D) signs, but not many.

Greenwood is supporting Shrader? That's news to me. I must admit I've been so focused on the Presidential race I haven't paid a lot of attention to Shrader-Fitzpatrick. Also I wrote Shrader off early. I do know that Fitzpatrick is destroying Shrader in the war of signs. I'm in Warminster.

He's supporting Fitzpatrick.

Sorry if my post was unclear.

the minority community is motivated in a way I have never seen before. The Main Line is more Dem than it used to be, primarily due to the choice issue in many households, the female cancelling the male's vote, and the big influx of progressives into the Narberth area and other communities here.

I don't think it'll be all that close in Pa, but thankd God the Guv and the Mayor of Philly are Dems - that was the fear that if Sam KAtz became mayor, the turnout would be reduced in Philadelphia and so goes the state. The Bush people tried to get him in but not too hard becasue he's really a Dem in Repub clothing (gay rights, abortion, etc. - brother died from AIDS) but stupidly, he took an endorsement from Santorum, which ws his death knell. These Repubs are just not that bright, there was no earthly reason why he really had to do that.

here in Cumberland County, PA. This area is 2 to 1 GOP. People here want to vote against Bush but are very angry at Kerry. Kerry's proposal to bring in other countries to help out in Iraq sets people off the most. Nobody believes it. I can see how Kerry is stuck because, he can't argue that we are losing Iraq without a suggestion about what to do about it. The only choices are to escalate the war or pull out. If Kerry picks either one, he'll lose lots of voters.

Kerry did say that he would first escalate the war, then withdraw troops. I know this sounds contrived, but it makes sense. Add troops until things are under control, then turn more of the country over to the Iraqis. I try telling people this. You have to tell people he's said this all along. I don't think it convinces people, but it calms them down. I think they'll still consider Kerry if he comes out with something firm like this. He really should have when he gave his latest plan for Iraq.

elected liberal a liberal dem (joe hoeffel)for 2 terms in the house, after he was narrowly defeated by 80 votes on his first try. this is the wealthiest of 67 counties in pa and their big issue is taxes. allowing for my sweeping generalizations, the repugs here are more of the "country club" republican types and are pretty much put off by fundies and other social extremists.they are generally pro-choice. stick to the deficit and the waste of money on war, clinton ending welfare, dems having surpluses etc. bush has been here and on tv so many times that he's beginning to show up as a stranger in wedding videos.

Check it out: http://www.bigpath.net/politics/Home/home.html

They have some high-quality ready-to-print materials. If your city regs let you put up flyers on telephone poles and light posts, then you're free to de-program the people. Otherwise, maybe hit the streets at night and do it under cover of darkness.

Don't be afraid. It's how the republicans pass their nastiest legislation. And you're not even hurting anything or writing graffitti.

says many moderate repubs in wyndmoor can't stand bush and won't get their votes.

I still do not understand why the Kerry campaign is not more forceful on reversal scam. *ush is the ultimate perpetrator.

I live in South Philly so it's almost 100% Kerry, very few Chimp supporters around here. Philly and Pittsburgh will carry the state for the Democrats. Very heavy registration drives going on here, particularly in the African American community. Don't worry about the fence-sitters and the confused, we're winning here.

I can barely pick them up here in Horsham, so I still listen on the web at home, and only occasionally on my car radio. :shrug:

Hopefully they can make some money and either increase the signal wattage or draw enough interest to be picked up by a radio conglomerate and moved to a stronger station.

as anyone. He lies, and lies, and lies every day, and the ignorant voters hear nothing but the lies no rebttal.

We have no chance whatsoever of saving this nation until he and all the wannabes are put out of business.

That's about 54% to 44%, with the rest going mostly to Nader. I have been seeing a distressing # of */Cheney signs around lately though. :shrug:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/vote2000/cbc/pacbc.htm

and the influence it has had. Every conservative I talk to, without exception, spouts these RW radio talk-show points. The airwaves all over the country are innundated with these shows, from the small-town locals, to the nationally syndicated ones like Rush and Hannity. If we ever want to win back a lot of these people, we have to build a network of radio to provide a counterpoint. Kudos to Air America Radio, they're great but we need more. Much, much more.

:thumbsup:

I see a surprising number of Kerry signs considering that my area is totally Repub. In my own family I find that although they don't like Bush, they don't like Kerry for reasons they can't seem to articulate and will probably hold their noses and go Bush because of "security." They don't seem to get that the Republican Party has changed since Eisenhower. Around here at this point I think voting Repub is just sort of a reflex.

and I'll agree that Kerry needs to show what he's passionate about as far as affecting people's daily lives. They need to know that and need to hear something beyond the nuance to get them hooked on Kerry. If he's able to convey a few simple, direct messages in the debates, look statesmanlike and comfortable, and outfox Bush's low expectations, I think he has a chance to close the deal in the debates and pull those important swing voters his way.

Can he do it? I sure hope so.